St. Joseph’s Hospital in Saint John is in need of updated ultrasound equipment.

That is the focus of the fourth annual September for St. Joe’s fundraising campaign.

Laurie Flood, executive director of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation, said the current systems are 10 years old.

“Our physicians tells us that this new technology is faster, is more detailed, is more precise,” Flood said in an interview.

“Things have changed and we want to ensure our staff have the best equipment to serve the patients they care for.”

An ultrasound costs around $120,000 and St. Joseph’s Hospital has three of them.

The hospital’s ultrasound department operates five days a week and performs about 8,000 scans per year.

Flood said their original goal was to replace one of the machines and tick away at the others.

But last week, the Knights of Columbus Fr. Eugene O’Leary Council 6595 pledged to match donations up to $120,000.

“If we reach our goal, we’ll be able to get two ultrasound machines,” said Flood. “We couldn’t ask for anything better.”

Flood said the foundation has raised well over $500,000 in recent years for minimally invasive sinus surgery, geriatric medicine patients, and the new orthopedic surgery program.

“We’re feeling confident that this year, the community will help us out and support September for St. Joe’s,” she said.

You can learn more about the campaign and make a donation by clicking here.